Speed control



F. KUEHNEL May 10 1927.

SPEED CONTROL Filed June l5, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l 5%@ mm, mw.

' 1,628 606 May 10 1927 F. KUEHNEL SPEED CONTROL Filed June 15, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 /N VENTO/6 1,628,606 May 10, 1927- F, KUEHNEL SPEED CONTROL Filed June l5, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 [Nl/ENTOR A TTORNEY Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,628,606 PATENT OFFICE.

FRANZ KUEHNEL, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 HANS HUENERT, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SPEED CONTROL.

`ApplicationfiledA June 15, 1925. Serial No. 37,354.

This invention relates to improvements in speed controls for automobiles, and refers more particularly to a'means for operating and controlling the transmission, in both n forward gear and reverse, and the service brakes from a conveniently located operating handle without the aid of clutch or brake pedals.

It is an object of the invention to provide means for generating electricity by the rotation of the engine shaft. and utilizing the current thus generated for regulating the forward speed of the drive shaft, or for r0- tating the latter in a reverse direction, through planetary transmission. Or again the current generated may be employed for the application of the service brakes.

`With these and numerous other objects in view which will be mentioned as the speci- 20 lication' proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described with the aid of the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the electric generating mechanism and the planetary transmission. l

Figures 2, 3, and 4 are sections on .the 30 lines 2-2, 3 3, and 4-4 respectively of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a. partial side elevation of th supporting brackets forfthe planetary transmission. ,x

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the controlling mechanism.

Figures 7, 8, and 9 are details of the controlling mechanism. Figure 10 is al detail. s .Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates part of the shaft of an engine or motor, on which a housing 2 is keyed or otherwise secured. On the housing a plurality of pairs of magnets 3 'and 4 of .opposite polarity are arranged which consist of cores 5 surrounded by windings 6. An annular plate 7 is secured against the inner surface of the magnets 3, and a similar plate 8 against, the inner face of the opposite magnets 4. Between the plates 7 and 8 is a disc 9. which is secured to the sleeve 1() by a connecting member 11, but the disc is insulated from the latter by insulation 12. y Mounted in the housing' 2, but insulated V therefrom, are brushes 13 and 14 which wipe the outer and inner circumferences of the disc 9.

` A commutator 15 is also mounted on the shaft 1, the rings 16 and 17 of which are wiped by the brushes 18 and 1.9 supported by, but insulated from, the casing 20.

The number of brushes 13 and 14 must correspond to the number of pairs of magy nets 3 and 4. The Winding on each magnet 3 is connected to the ring 16 and also to the opposite magnet 4. The winding on each magnet 4 is also connected to a brush 13, and eaeh,brush 14 'is connected to the ring 17. So that the rotation of the shaft 1 causes the magnets 3 and 4 and the'commutator15 to act as a generator so that current is generated which may be utilized for the rotation of the disc9, or foreother urposes which will be mentioned hereina ter,

0n the sleeve 10, which is arranged around the shaft 1, a pulley 21is secured as by a key 22, and towards the outer end of the sleeve a gear 23 is also arranged. The outer end of the sleeve is rotatably mounted on a ball bearing 24, and a second ball bearing 2 4a may also be employed if desired. The inner end of the sleeve is supported by ai bearing 24".

On the shaft 1, and supported 'by ball bearings 25, rotatably mounted brackets 26 are arranged which carry the shafts 27 and 27a in ball bearings 28 and 28a. The brackets 26 are heldin correct relation to one an-l other by bolts 26a. On the shaft 1 a pinion 29 is secured which meshes with gears 30 and 30a secured to the shafts 27 and 27a respectively. The gear 23 lmeshes with pinions 31 and 31"L which are keyed or` otherwise secured to their respective shafts 27 and 27a, as also are the pinions 32 and 32a.

The vlatter pinions are in mesh with the gear 33 secured as by the key 34 to the drive shaft 35. The latter is supported as byl bearings 36 and 37 in the casing 20, and also lby a ball bearing 36a mounted on the shaft 1. It will also be noted that the pinions 32 and 32n are smaller than the pinions 31 and 31a. l

A brake band 38'is arranged round the pulley 21 so that when the rod 39 is pulled upwards the lever arm 4.0 will be actuated and the brake band 38 tightened against the pulley.

The control lever 41 is pivotally mounted las at 42, and swingsy between the outer segments 43 and 44 and the inner segments 45 and 46. These pairs of outer and inner segments are of substantially the same length and are placed opposite each other, but for clearness in showing connections they are otherwise illustrated in the diagrammatic view in Figure G. In the lower end of the lever arm 41 is a spring 47 which tends to force the-insulated pin 48 outwards so as to maintain the outer end of the connector 49 in contact with the underside of the outer segments 43 and 44. 49;L indicates annular insulation by which the connector 49 is insulated from the operating lever 41. The

f segment 43, which consists of a plain metalstrip throughout its length, is connected by the lead 50 to the brush 18 on the commutator, and the segment 44, part of which is shown in ldetail in Figure 8, consists of insulating material 52 in which a series of contacts 51 are arranged. Each contact is connected to the resistances 53, so that current of varying intensity will flow back through the lead 54 to the brush 19. In this manner the speed of rotation of the disc 9 is controlled. The resistances are so arranged that when the centre contact 55 is connected as shown in Figure G, the speed of rotation of the disc 9and therefore of the pinion 31 and 31a, is such that they will counteract the rotation of the gears 30 and 30a in the planetary transmission, with the result that the drive shaft 35 will not revolve. Obviously as the resistances 53 are gradually cut out the speed of the disc 9, and therefore of the gears 31 and 31a, will increase. Again when the lever arml41 is moved past the centre position and away from the resistances, so that contact is made between the segments 43 and the contact 5G, current flows through the lead 57, through the solenoid 5 8, and the wire 59 bacli to the brush 19. The solenoid operates the lever arm connected to the rod 39, so that when the solenoid is energized the brake band 38 is tightened up round the pulley, 21, and the sleeve 10 and gear 23 held stationary; Thus a reverse movement of the drive shaft 35 is obtained when theengine shaft 1 and the pinions 29 continue to revolve."

By pressing the rod 61 and compressing the spring 47, the connector 49 is forced.

downwards against the inner segments 45 and 46. When this is done the lead 50a is connected to the wire 62 and the solenoid 63 is energized. 64 indicates the negative connection from the brush 19 to the solenoid 63. The lever arm 65 connected to the solenoid is also connected to the brake rod 69a in any desired manner. So that by pressingit would if the drive shaft were at the time travelling in a forward direction.

On the underside of the lever arm 61 I provide depending lugs 6G which engage a plunger 67 operating in guides 68, so that the rod 69 is raised as the lever arm 41 is moved sideways in either direction. The rod G9 is connected to the gas intake of the carburetor (not shown), so that the mixture mayv be increased in strength when greater effort is to be exerted;

lvhile in the above description and drawings two brushes 18 and 19 are shown and described, it is obvious that a ground connection can be substituted for the latter brush if preferred.

In the foregoing the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, it is however understood that the construction is susceptible to such modifications as fall within the scope 'of the appended claims.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A speed change transmission gearing of the type in which a drive shaft supporting a dynamo-electric machine is associated with a driven shaft, therelative speed of which is controlled by a movable induction element of the dynamo-electric machine, including a brake ixedly connected with the induction element of the dynamo-electric machine, conductors carrying the current generated by said machine, and means for varying said current and for applying said brake respectively.

2. A speed change transmission gearing of the type in which a drive shaft supporting a dynamo-electric machine is associated with a driven shaft, the relative speed 'of which is controlled by a movable induction element of the dynamo-electric machine, including a brake fixedly connected with the induction element` of the dynamo-electric machine, and means for utilizing the current generated by the dynamo-electric machine for applying said brake.

8. A speed change transmission gearing of the type in which a drive shaft supporting a dynamo-electric machine is associated with a `driven shaft, the relative speed of which is controlled by a movable induction elementl of the dynamo-electric machine, including a switch lever adjustable to different positions, circuit connections controlled by the switch lever in certain positions for varying the speed of the driven shaft relatively to that of the driving shaft, and circuit connections controlled by the switch lever in other positions for reversing the driven-shaft relatively to the driving shaft.

4. A speed change transmissiongearing of the type in which a drive shaft supporting a dynamo-electric machine is associated with a driven shaft, the relative speed of which is controlled by. a/movable induction Turi element of the dynamo-electric machine, including a. solenoid, a brake ixedly connected with the induction element of the dynamoelectric machine, a mechanical connection between said solenoid and said brake, circuit connections containing resistanccs in the circuit of the dynamo-electric machine, and a switch lcver adjustable to positions for sending the current through said resistlU ances and through said solenoid respectively.

5. A speed change transmission gearingT of the type in which a drive shaft supportingr a dynamo-electric machine is associated With a driven shaft, the relative speed of which is controlled by a .movable induction element of the dynamo-electric machine, including a pair of solenoids in the circuit connections of the dynamo-electric machine,

and means under control of the operator for selectively senting said current through either of said solenoids, and brakes actuated by said solenoids.

6. A speed change transmission gearing "of the type in which a drive shaft supportingrr a dynamo-electric machine is' associated `with a driven shaft, the relative speed of which is controlled by a movable induction element of the dynamo-electric machine` in- 3" cluding;l a brake tixedly associated with the induction element of the dynamo-electric machine, a solenoid, a mechanical. connection between said solenoid and said brake, a second solenoid, another brake rod 35 adapt-ed to operate service bra-kes, a second 40 said solenoids.

7. A speed change transmission gearing of the type in which a drive shaft supporting a dynamo-electric machine is associated with a driven shaft, the relative speed of which is controlled by a movable induction element of the dynamo-electric machine, including separate sets of contact segments, one set of contact segments being connected with resistanccs adapted to consume the current generated by the dynamo-electric machine, the other set of contact segments being associated with a solenoid, a brake rod operable by the solenoid, and a single operative element forfsending the current of said dynamo-electric "machine-through either one of said sets of contact segments.

- 8. A speed change transmission gearing of the type in which a drive shaft supportiusr a dynamo-electric machine is associated with a driven shaft, the relative speed of which is controlled by a movable induction element of the dynamo-electric machine, including` two 'sets of spaced contact segments, an operatingr lever, a connector movably mounted on said operating lever and adapted to connect'the Contact segments of one 'set in one terminal position and the contact segments of the other set in the other operative position, current consuming devices connected with said sets of segments respectively., and means on the operatinglever for shifting said connector from one of its terminal positions to the other.

9. A speed change transmission gearing of the type in which a drive shaft supportin;r a dynamo-electric machine is associated with a driven shaft, the relative speed of which is controlled by a movable induction element of the dynamo-electric machine, including a single means actuatable by an operator for selectively varying the speed of the driven shaft, a carburetor adjusting rod and a connection between said rod and said single means for effecting; adjustment of the lcarburetor upon actuation of said single means.

FRANZ KUEHNEL. 

